title: Coevolutionary analyses of the relationships between piroplasmids and their hard tick hosts.
abstract: Host-parasite coevolution is a key driver of biological diversity. To examine the evolutionary relationships between piroplasmids and their hard tick hosts, we calculated the molecular clock and conducted phylogenetic analyses of both groups. Based on our results, we conclude that the divergence time of piroplasmids (∼56 Mya) is later than divergence time of their hard tick hosts (∼86 Mya). From analyses of the evolution of both piroplasmid and vector lineages and their association, we know that hard ticks transmit piroplasmids with high genus specificity and low species specificity.
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Veterinary Etiological Biology, Key Laboratory of Veterinary Parasitology of Gansu Province, Key Laboratory of Grazing Animal Diseases MOA, Lanzhou Veterinary Research Institute of Chinese Academy of Agricultural Science Xujiaping 1, Lanzhou, Gansu, 730046, China.
authors.forename: Huitian
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Gou
authors.forename: Guiquan
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Guan
authors.forename: Aihong
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Miling
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ma
authors.forename: Ze
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Zhijie
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Qiaoyun
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Ren
authors.forename: Youquan
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Jifei
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: Hong
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Yin
authors.forename: Jianxun
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Luo
keywords: COI; Coevolution; hard tick; piroplasmid